Big Tractors with Casey & Friends Book & Toy Set Review & Giveaway

Big Tractors with Casey & Friends is the second book in Holly Dufek's new series Casey & Friends, in which Casey the farmer, Tillus the worm, Big Red the tractor, and a whole cast of cartoon equipment characters teach kids ages 4-8 about farm life and machines of modern agriculture including tractors, combines, tillers, planters, and more. Would you like your children to know where the food they eat originally come from and how they are grown? Then let them join Casey and her friends for a fun tour around the farm!

Big Tractors with Casey & Friends (April 2015) shows how the biggest, most powerful tractors -Big Red and Sammy - handle the demanding jobs of pulling and powering on the farm. Using a combination of real photos and cartoon figures, the book demonstrates the role the biggest and most powerful tractors play on the farmyard, how their designs have evolved over time, how they work as a team with other farm equipment, why their wheels are designed differently, and how advanced technology makes Big Red and Sammy special. It also offers a close-up look inside both tractors.

The book is an eye-opener for both my kids and myself. We all learned something new about farming. The boys are really excited to see the big tractors in action through the pictures. While Casey uses everyday language to give us a general idea of how things work, Tillus the worm provides more in-depth explanation in the sidebar with interesting drawings and examples. This feature makes the book accessible to readers of different ages and different levels of interest in the subject. All the words highlighted in yellow are explained in a picture glossary. The fun farming facts that conclude the book leave young readers wanting to learn more!

I also received this cool toy tractor for review. It is modeled after CASE IH Magnum 370 CVT Tractor in 1:64 scale. It features single front & rear duals, detailed interior and free rolling wheels. My boys have a sizable collection of cars and trucks, but guess what? This is their very first tractor! It looks so real and runs pretty fast. In fact, my toddler won't go to bed without the Big Red by his pillow. And we have read the book together over a dozen times during bedtime.

The Casey & Friends series is written by seasoned educator and national curriculum writer Holly Dufek and illustrated by Pixar “Cars” artist Paul Nunn. Here's a glimpse of all the other books in the series:

A Year on the Farm with Casey & Friends (January 2015) introduces children to the world of modern farming by teaching them about the different jobs a farmer does each season. Casey and her team show how tractors, combines and other equipment: plant and harvest crops, work in the farmyard, and care for animals. Learn how farming involves planning for the year, reacting to the weather, and working as a team.

Combines with Casey & Friends (June 2015) explains the step-by-step processes used to harvest crops by the most complex machines on the farm. Follow Cody and Kellie—the combines of Happy Skies Farm—as they do the work of three machines: gathering, separating, and unloading grain and corn.

Planters & Cultivators with Casey & Friends (September 2015) features the specialized farm equipment used to cultivate, plant and spray crops. Learn how Tammi the Tiller, Evan the Early Riser Planter and Peter the Patriot Sprayer work together to make this year’s crop bigger than ever. Explore the science of soil and discover how Casey’s team keeps it healthy.

The Giveaway

Octane Press has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers their very own copy of Big Tractors with Casey & Friends (Hardcover, ARV $14.99) and the licensed die-cast CASE IH Magnum tractor toy (ARV $8.50)! Please fill out the entry form below for your chance to win this awesome prize pack. Good luck!

Big Tractors Book & Toy Set Giveaway

Disclosure: I received free products to facilitate my honest review. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for prize fulfillment.